"My assessment form the Madrid negotiation is that it was a step forward in solving the nuclear issue," he said in an interview with the state news agency IRNA in Madrid.

"This negotiation was better than the past, and I sense that Mr Solana was trying to reach an understanding, and this is a good method."

He added, however, that "we should leave more judgement of the matter to future.

"Iran is not seeking to buy time in its nuclear case, but it is ready to solve it this very day."

Larijani and Solana met on Thursday, more than a month after their previous meeting in Ankara.

Solana, negotiating on behalf of the United States and five other major powers dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue, is due to meet with Larijani again in the coming weeks.

After two rounds of talks in Madrid, Larijani was quoted as saying Iran was ready to talk with the International Atomic Energy Agency about information access and cooperation.

"Iran is ready to discuss outstanding questions with the agency which are linked to information access and cooperation with the agency," a spokeswoman for Solana said.

Tehran's arch foe Washington said on Friday that is it seeking to impose more sanctions after failure of latest nuclear talks.

The UN Security Council has already imposed two sets of financial and other sanctions on Iran over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment work that many believe is a cover for developing nuclear weapons.

Iran insists the program is aimed only at developing a civilian nuclear power industry for its ever growing population.

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